The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a case attachment portion configured to support, in a detachable manner, a toner case that has an attachment compatibility with the case attachment portion, and relates to a toner case attachable to an image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system includes a developing device. Developer including toner is stored in the developing device. The developing device develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier such as a photoconductor drum, with the toner included in the developer. As developing is performed, the toner stored in an interior of the developing device is reduced. The image forming apparatus includes a case attachment portion to which the toner case is attached, and is configured in such a manner that the toner case is attached to the case attachment portion. The toner case includes a toner discharge port for discharging the toner and a shutter member for opening and closing the toner discharge port. When the toner case is attached to the case attachment portion, the shutter member moves to an opening position so as to open the toner discharge port. This allows the toner to be replenished from the toner case to the developing device. In addition, the toner case is configured to be attached to the case attachment portion of the image forming apparatus in a detachable manner. When all toner in the toner case is consumed, the toner case is replaced with a new toner case filled with toner.
Meanwhile, there is known an image forming apparatus provided with an incompatibility structure in which only a toner case having attachment compatibility can be attached to the case attachment portion, so as to prevent replenishment of improper toner to the developing device by an erroneous attachment. In this type of image forming apparatus, the toner case is provided with a claw member which functions as a compatible key that permits attachment of the toner case only to a case attachment portion that corresponds to the toner case. In addition, the case attachment portion is provided with a claw passage portion and an interference member, wherein the claw passage portion functions as a compatible key that permits attachment of only a corresponding toner case, and the interference member functions as an incompatible key that does not permit attachment of a toner case that does not correspond to the case attachment portion.